California Senate's top Republican finds some common ground with Gov. Jerry Brown

Gov. Jerry Brown has been among the most iconic Democrats in one of the nation's most Democratic states over the course of four decades, but his State of the State speech suggested that some of his plans may actually be in line with Republican priorities.

"It was nice to see the governor channel his inner Republican," said Bob Huff, the state Senate's top Republican.

Huff, R-Walnut, said in a telephone interview that those remarks echo those of Assembly Republican leader Connie Conway.

The upshot is that Brown and the Legislature's GOP minority certainly do not see eye to eye on all issues affecting the state, but there appears to be more than just a little opportunity for the governor and Republican leaders find a measure of agreement over the coming year.

Huff said Brown's speech could be heard as a call for smaller government, a Legislature that passes fewer bills, business-friendly reforms to California's key environmental law and a rainy day fund.Whether those ideas can become policy, he said, is another matter.

"The rhetoric's great. Where's the reality," he asked.

When it comes to whether Brown's words will find themselves written into law, the question may not be so much whether the governor can reach a compromise with Republicans as much as whether he can make a deal with members of his own party.

"I've always figured I could work OK with Governor Brown. His problem is moving his own constituency," Huff said.

For example, Brown called for a streamlining of the California Environmental Quality Act. Republicans and business groups have long called for changes to the law, which allows environmental groups to file lawsuits that can stop or delay construction.

State Sen. Michael Rubio, D-Shafter, has also pushed for reforms to CEQA, but Huff predicted that Brown will have to significantly leverage his powers as governor to convince Democrats to change the environmental law.

"If he lends his strong leadership to CEQA reform, we may be able to get something," Huff said.

Despite the possibility for agreement among Brown and Republicans on some major issues, there are also important subjects on which the governor and GOP disagree.

Among them, Brown's support for high-speed rail and the continued implementation of A.B. 32, which requires some industries to buy carbon credits in order to maintain production.

"We in California appear to be shouldering the burden for the entire world when we have to compete with other states," Huff said.